Florence Foster Jenkins

Singer, socialite

• Born: July 19, 1868
• Birthplace: Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
• Died: November 26, 1944
• Place of death: New York, New York

Also known as: Nascina Florence Foster, Narcissa Florence Foster

Significance: Florence Foster Jenkins was an American socialite and singer. She dreamed of becoming an opera singer, even though she was not vocally talented. Many people mocked Jenkins for her lack of talent, but she continued to perform, believing she had a beautiful singing voice. A film was made about Jenkins's life in 2016.

Background

Florence Foster Jenkins was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, on July 19, 1868. She was the daughter of Charles Dorrance Foster, a banker, lawyer, and politician, and Mary Jane Hoagland. Jenkins had a wealthy upbringing. She learned to play the piano and became a talented pianist, playing recitals as a child and teenager. She dreamed of becoming a famous singer, but she was not vocally gifted. Jenkins wanted to study abroad, but her parents did not allow this request.

When Jenkins was fifteen years old, she ran away from home and married Francis Thornton Jenkins, a doctor from Philadelphia, in 1885. The physician was more than fifteen years her senior, and she married him to defy her parents. Her family cut her off financially for this decision. A short time later, Jenkins was diagnosed with syphilis, which she most likely contracted from her husband. Syphilis had no cure at the time, and Jenkins had to undergo medical treatments for the condition throughout her life.

She divorced her husband in 1902. Jenkins had no money, so she supported herself as a piano teacher. Later in 1909, Jenkins's father died. He left her a large inheritance, which she used to pursue her dream of becoming a singer. She moved to New York City and began taking voice lessons. She quit giving piano lessons, as an arm injury prevented her from playing.

Life's Work

Jenkins received much criticism about her lack of singing ability. Vocal coaches told her that she could not reach upper pitch registers and that she had no sense of rhythm. She ignored these criticisms and pursued a professional singing career. In 1912, she began staging yearly recitals at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in New York City. She dressed in elaborate outfits with multiple costume changes and used props and wigs. She also tossed flowers to her fans.

She studied voice with Carlo Edwards from the Metropolitan Opera and worked with pianist Cosmé McMoon. Jenkins was a patron of the arts and a member of various social clubs. She staged performances for many club meetings. She befriended musical socialites in the city and was a part of wealthy social circles. In 1917, Jenkins began her own musical club called the Verdi Club. It became very popular and attracted more than four hundred members.

What Jenkins lacked in talent she made up for in self-confidence. She devoted herself to becoming an opera singer, concentrating on arias from operas such as Faust, Rigoletto, Aida, and The Magic Flute. After her mother died in 1928, she inherited more of her family's fortune. She used this money to continue to support her dream. Despite her poor performances, her recitals continued to draw fans. She only made tickets available directly from her and banned critics from attending. She gave performances throughout the country to packed audiences. The New York Times even listed her performances in its arts section. However, many attendees could not hide their reactions to Jenkins's singing. Some people stuffed handkerchiefs in their mouths to keep from laughing and causing a scene.

People debated if Jenkins knew how bad her singing voice really was. Some people thought that she knew but wanted to be a singer so badly that she did not care. Others blamed Jenkins's medical treatments for syphilis, which may have given her tinnitus and kept her from truly hearing herself sing.

Jenkins released a self-funded record in 1941 on the Melotone Records music label. It sold out, so she recorded and released four other records. She intended to sell these to her friends, but they became popular and collector's items for their entertainment value. Throughout the years, other music labels reissued these recordings.

In 1943, Jenkins was in a taxicab accident. Afterward, she claimed that the accident gave her the ability to reach higher notes. Instead of suing the cab driver, she sent him a box of cigars as a way to thank him for helping her voice.

Jenkins set a performance at Carnegie Hall on October 25, 1944. The Pascarella Chamber Music Society, flutist Oreste De Sevo, and pianist McMoon joined her for the event. The tickets cost $2 but were resold for as much as $20. The event sold out quickly, and more than two thousand people were not allowed in to see the performance. Several respected and famous musicians, including composer Andre Kostelanetz and members of the Metropolitan Opera were in attendance. Jenkins's performance received much applause, and she gave multiple curtain calls.

Afterward, the reviews were brutally honest and berated her performance. Five days after the performance, Jenkins had a heart attack. She died about a month later on November 26, 1944. Some people blamed the poor reviews for her death, while others pointed to her poor health from the syphilis treatments.

Impact

Jenkins left behind a lasting legacy for her musical talents—or lack thereof. Despite her poor singing voice, she garnered multiple friends and fans who supported her for being herself. In 2016, she became the focus of the film Florence Foster Jenkins. Actress Meryl Streep played Jenkins, and actor Hugh Grant played her husband and manager, St. Clair Bayfield. Streep received an Oscar nomination for her performance in the film.

Personal Life

Jenkins kept her first husband's last name after their divorce. In early 1909, she met a New York theater actor named St. Clair Bayfield. The two began a romantic relationship and entered a common-law marriage. Bayfield later served as the manager of Jenkins's career.

Bibliography

Heigl, Alex. "Oscars 2017: What Did the Real-Life Florence Foster Jenkins Sound Like?" People, 15 Feb. 2017, people.com/awards/stranger-than-fiction-the-life-of-florence-foster-jenkins. Accessed 6 Sept. 2017.

Huizenga, Tom. "Killing Me Sharply with Her Song: The Improbable Story of Florence Foster Jenkins." NPR, 10 Aug. 2016, www.npr.org/sections/deceptivecadence/2016/08/10/488724807/killing-me-sharply-with-her-song-the-improbable-story-of-florence-foster-jenkins. Accessed 6 Sept. 2017.

Schmank, M. Susie. "Here's the Story of the Real Florence Foster Jenkins." Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2016, www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-ca-mn-florence-foster-jenkins-20160809-snap-story.html. Accessed 6 Sept. 2017.

Waxman, Olivia B. "What It Was Like to Hear the Real Florence Foster Jenkins Sing, as Told in 1934." Time, 11 Aug. 2016, time.com/4439621/florence-foster-jenkins-reviews. Accessed 6 Sept. 2017.

Wepman, Dennis. "Jenkins, Florence Foster." American National Biography Online, Feb. 2000, www.anb.org/articles/18/18-03857.html. Accessed 6 Sept. 2017.